The 2016 Miata is Finally Here!
There is no official word on the engine, weight, or other specs yet, so we will just leave these photos here.
Mazdaspeed 3 Coming in 2017 with AWD!
UPDATE: Masahiro Moro, president of Mazda USA, called the Mazdaspeed 3 “childish” in execution. What does that mean for the future of the Mazdaspeed model? Find out.
According to Ryan Beene at Autonews.com the next Mazdaspeed is planned for 2017. At first glance we might assume that this is purely more rumors, but upon further inspection we see that there might be cause to believe him.
Why?
First of all, Ryan Beene has been vouched for by several other automotive sites and journalists. Over at thetruthaboutcars.com they state “Having known Beene for a number of years, I can say that his information is to be trusted more than the typical buff book “anonymous sources” accompanied by some fanciful colored pencil sketch or computer rendering.” Jalopnik.com also states: “Automotive News’ Ryan Beene, who has covered Mazda in depth, is rather reliable. This is a good thing.”
So apparently we should listen. We also see some of the first reasonable explanations for AWD and a Turbo. As we have discussed previously, the new Mazdaspeed will most likely share the AWD from the CX5 platform. See the article here: //corksport.com/blog/will-there-be-a-new-mazdaspeed-3-with-all-wheel-drive/ where we also happen to quote Takeo Mariuchi, the program deputy manager as saying “from a technical point of view it’s not difficult to install a four wheel drive system”. We also showed some interesting photos showing the rear of the CX5 and 2014 Mazda 3 that appeared as though it would be rather simple to add the AWD.
Nonetheless we put our stamp of approval on this statement.
The second thing that he brings up, that we can stand behind, is the fact that he believes the engine will be the same as the one used in the CX-9 launching that year. This would not surprise us at all since it would help shave cost, and engineering work on Mazda’s behalf.
There is a lot more info in the article, so feel free to read the full article here: https://www.autonews.com/article/20140825/OEM04/308259975/mazda-making-big-changes-fast
I’ll summarize the rest of his interesting points here otherwise:
Mazda 2: Redesigned Mazda 2 production starts in November and he expects a sportier Mazda2 with a modified intake and exhaust as an option.
Mazda 5: This will get killed off by 2015 due to lack of interest.
Mazda 6: An interior redesign for 2016, new center console, smaller dash that sits lower. Similar to the Mazda3.
Mx-5 Miata: Debuts in one week. Will have a SkyActiv 2.0L liter engine (no word of a turbo). More exciting though is the news that Mazda is planning a fastback-style hardtop version.
Rotary RX-7 or Rx-9: They are still working on it, should be 2 seats, not 4. No word on when.
CX-3: This should go on sale next June. Built on the same platform as the Mazda2.
CX-5: Fresh interior for 2016 and new front and headlights.
CX-9: Redesign for 2017 with new KODO language. Turbo Engine 2.5L that will be the same as the Mazdaspeed 3.
Of course, Ryan still doesn’t quote any sources or give any proof, but we definitely are willing to believe all that he says!
-Spencer@CorkSport
Check out the latest Mazdaspeed 3 performance parts
What Mazda said that Will Have you Saying “Take my Money”
Real Quotes from Mazda’s Global Sales and Marketing General Manager
Once again Motoring.com.au has brought some rotary rumors to surface thanks to an interview with Yasuhiro Aoyama, the General manager of Global Sales and Marketing. So what did Yasuhiro say that is so revealing?
“this is a very fantastic idea, 2017, [for] a new rotary.”
followed by
“We celebrate the anniversary of rotary in 2017; 50 years. Then 2020 is the Olympics in Tokyo and the 100th anniversary of Mazda,”
When prodded for more info and whether we would see a halo car in 2020 he was quoted as saying: “We will defy convention”.
In order to prevent us from expanding on his words without the proper quotes let us list them all here:
“We have our own definition of sports and our own definition of how to get Jinba Ittai, the oneness between car and driver – and we do not have to necessarily compete with segments or competitors,” he said.
“We won’t follow them just for the sake of it.” [in reference to other car companies]
“We are indifferent to the successes that our rivals are making; we need to make our own success and forge our own way forward.”
And one of the quotes that I find most exciting was this:
“Lightweight is one of the core elements for our sports cars to have high performance, so all of the vehicles for the next generation will be like this,” he stated.
What could this all mean? Well that Mazda again has neither confirmed nor denied the idea of an RX-7 in 2017, and that it “is a very fantastic idea”, and that it it will definitely be a lightweight vehicle. We also know that he is hinting at something in 2020? Possibly a halo car? Possibly the RX-9 that they trademarked awhile back. (source)
Nonetheless, we are already stashing our pennies so that once we have official word, we can start yelling “Take my MONEY!”
-Spencer
Mazda, Motorcycles and Dorito Chip Goodness
How Mazda, a Strange Recycling Symbol and Dorito Chips all Connect
What is this symbol? And how is it connected to Mazda? On first look it appears to be somehow symbolizing recycling, or Rotary Engines, and if that was your guess, you aren’t really wrong. But, there is certainly more.
This is the logo for a Motorcyle Company known as Van Veen that produced cycles from around 1972 until 1981. Van Veen was run by Henk Van Veen a dutch importer of motorcycles who had a crazy idea to cram a rotary engine into a motorcycle. So, he chose a bike, a Moto Guzzi V7 as the frame, and then an engine.
Now, contrary to much of what you see on the internet (such as wikipedia) stating that his first prototype used a Comoto Rotary, Van Veen actually chose another engine. A Mazda rotary.
The first engine this slightly crazy man decided to cram into those bikes was none other than the same engine that Mazda used in their RX2, the 10a.
Though the initial prototype used this engine, Van Veen sadly began instead using the Comoto rotary instead.
Alas though, after just a few years of selling his OCR 1000 wankel rotary bike, the company stopped producing them in 1981. As much as we wished he continued to use the Mazda engine, he did not, but that original prototype still exists. If you happen to read Dutch, check out more here: https://cybermotorcycle.com/docs/downloads/vanVeenMotorRijwiel.pdf
Though we never got to see them use the Mazda engines for production, or later start using the RX7 engines (boy that would have been awesome!), there have been others that have followed in Van Veen’s path and built Mazda rotary cycles.
Here is a custom built 13b powered rotary bike by Rodney Aguiar.
Who knows, maybe one of these days Mazda will even start making rotary motorcycles! After all, they did start by making 3 wheeled cars!
P.S. Don’t forget your love of Dorito engines.
-Spencer
All the 2016 Mazda MX5 Renderings We Can Find
Renderings, Concepts, Images and Rumors about the Next MX5
Mazda recently released an official image of the next 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata. Sadly, it is blanketed. So though we can tell the overall shape of the car (spoiler alert, it looks like a car) we can’t see much else. What we can do though is speculate.
Here is the official Mazda image:
Now, though we all probably want a fancy, blanket draped MX-5, I have a feeling that some of us plan to actually drive it, and not keep it under wraps in our garage. So, I decided to pull from the web some next generatino renderings of the MX-5. Which one do you think most resembles Mazda’s official image?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
If you forgot, make sure to head over and check out the first and only shots of the Camoflouge 2016 Miata here: https://www.corksport.com/blog/2015-2016-mazda-miata-mx5-spy-shots/
But, moving on. If you’ve had enough of renderings, let’s check out the engine. This shot of an engine bay is supposedly from a source that found the little Miata mule at a port on the west coast months ago. The big news here is that it’s a turbo. The question, is if this is going in the Miata for real, or if it’s going in the Fiat/Alfa since Mazda has partnered with them. (source)
So, though we leave you today with nothing but more rumors and speculation, we again see some pretty solid evidence of a good looking, and possibly turbocharged, 2016 MX5 Miata.
Oh, and don’t forget this video from Mazda.
(P.S. do you hear a turbo?)
Until Next Time
-Spencer